Stix on the Beach: Tales From The Happiest Hooker!

Head in the Clouds

October clouds are finally heading in to Orange County! It's that time of year again when I get up early, charge the camera battery, and run from window-to-window all day in case OMG THERE ARE BIG FLUFFY CLOUDS IN THE SKY! I will deal with the consequence of excruciating pain and climb to the top of high parking structures in hopes of getting a few decent shots. Even if it's the same shot I've taken a billion times before and already blogged.

The photo above is the rooftop where Marissa and I witnessed the space shuttle Endeavour's majestic fly-by! It came right around that historic building like we were in a sci-fi blockbuster movie! I'm pretty sure we watched it with a group of people filming a pilot sitcom episode about a group of eccentric residents living in an apartment complex in Anaheim — complete with a comedic Betty White wannabe. Or maybe it was Betty White. After all, this is Southern California, where you can find yourself browsing the coffee aisle at Target alongside celebrities.

Whenever I go up to the parking garage, I always pay more attention in looking towards my two favorite places — L.A. and Disneyland! But from here you can also see the giant A sign at the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim stadium. And for the love of God, Anaheim is not located in the City of Angels! Anaheim is in Orange County. Which means Disneyland is not in Los Angeles either. Now you know. Share your knowledge. Rid the world of this ignorance.

I love living in Orange County and still being able to see the L.A. skyline in the distance on a clear day. It must be how it's like to see Russia from your front door in Alaska. It's cool to watch the storm clouds in L.A. move across the sky and into the O.C. I also absolutely love the above vantage point for taking pictures, especially since it gives the Stanley Kraemer Building the opportunity to photo-bomb.

Glad I went out last week and enjoyed the clouds and rain (GLORIOUS RAIN!), 'cause today (and this whole week!) we're back to ninety-degree weather! Oh, Southern California, I love you for so many reasons — but your sun obsession isn't one of 'em.

Police Brutality Protest in Pictures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read Resident Evil vs. Residents of Anaheim for my post chronicling my experience with the police brutality protest in Anaheim on July 24th, 2012.

Off & On The Grid

On Thursday I put aside the cross-stitch grid and spent some time on The Grid at elecTRONica over at Disney's California Adventure! Marissa had a shift at the attraction and signed me into the Park (which reminds me: Beauty is in the Eye of the Passholder is not dead! I'm just holding off on updating...).

The Happiest Hooker Hangin' Out in Hollywood.

Mars had a little bit of time before clocking in for work, so we did our traditional quick survey around the park before kickin' back in Hollywood Backlot — our old stompin' grounds. Hollywood Backlot — soon to be renamed "Hollywood Land" — has such a special place in our hearts. There was a time when you would find us on "Hollywood Blvd" (or inside the Hyperion Theatre) just about every single day. As Marissa said later that night, working in that particular spot felt so surreal — especially with her lead being a long-time DCA friend.

   These elecTRONica "Programs" appear to be walking into some sort of "choose your adventure" type device. It's actually an Aulani Hawaii Resort kiosk.

 

Flashdance!
These Program costumes lit up on my camera when photographed using flash.

Glitch in the Program.

It felt great to spend a few hours at my home-away-from-home. With my favorite dance music and Daft Punk's Tron Legacy movie score blasting while being around some of my favorite Cast Members, elecTRONica definitely gave me the charge I needed introspectively and sparked a creative surge inspirationally!

Hopefully, it will soon again feel like I spend more time at the Disneyland Resort than anywhere else in the world.

Rain or Shine in Downtown Anaheim

It's no secret that I loathe the Southern California sun. I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder in the summer — and the remaining 270 days of sunlight. I don't belong in this sun worshipping state, and want to bitch-slap every local meteorologist on television who practically tells us to get on our knees and pray the rain away.

However, there are sunny days I absolutely love! Those are the days when the sun is shining, the wind is picking up, the sky is a breathtakingly bright blue and the clouds are rolling in huge! That's when nothing can keep me down and I am running out the front door with my camera!

So was the case this past Monday. Most of the morning and early afternoon the sky kept changing minute-to-minute. It was even misting at one point. Once I was done with laundry, I took off for a walk around the neighborhood.  And to climb — with a painful slipped disc — six stories of an outdoor parking structure. As I rested at each floor landing, I saw an old man across the street watching me. Not sure if he was marveling at my physique, or preparing to dial 9-1-1 if the wind blew me over.

Totally worth the trip once I got to the top and saw the panoramic view of Anaheim. I didn't take any photos that gave justice to the beautiful scene 'cause my hands were shaking too bad. Funny how that happens when you walk up six flights of stairs with a slipped disc that affects ALL your nerves. Next time I will take the tripod. Thought I was going to say "elevator" didn't ya? Yeah, elevators make my bladder weak. Remember that if we're ever together and you suggest NOT taking the stairs.

After climbing back down, I crossed the street and headed to City Hall. That's when I finally discovered the secret Mito Garden named after Anaheim's first sister city, located in Japan! It would not had stayed a secret for long if I had just veered off my robotic route once in a while.

Truth be told, when I read about the garden a couple of years ago, I imagined something much grander. And with a Koi pond. But it is pretty and does exude a sense of peace in such a bustling part of the city! It's also quite photogenic. And you may find me crocheting there someday. Just not on a boring sunny day.

I didn't have to wait long for my favorite weather to come along. Wednesday started out with overcast skies and light showers, so I knew for sure I'd be walking with Marissa to the bus, then a quick  library stop. We were at the corner of our street when the storm hit. The sky grew dark, the wind whipped up and the rain poured down! I'm sure I was singin' in the rain from being so damn happy. Even the woman with the flipped umbrella at the crosswalk seemed to be having fun.

It started getting torrential, though. And I started remembering how Anaheim has seen tornadic activity in recent years. And I was glad I had a fully charged camera battery. What I forgot was how quickly the streets flood. But I didn't let that deter me from checking in at the library! And boy, I'm glad it didn't, 'cos I left with a good haul of used needlecraft books! The Rain Gods were smiling down on me, obviously.

Still raining, I was almost home when something shiny caught my eye. It was sunny on the other side of the street! Regardless of rain or shine in Anaheim, these little adventures always make me feel like I am on cloud nine.

Walking By Myself

I never walk alone in Anaheim...even when I am by myself.

I try to get out of the apartment a couple of times a week and walk the mile-and-a-half round trip from my historic village neighborhood to the public library. The scenic walk is usually simple enough with my slipped disk pain. That is, unless I hit the jackpot at the library's used bookstore or checkout a dozen books! I seriously need to invest in a rolling backpack or a lightweight stroller — which is actually cheaper! I doubt anyone 'round here would even bat an eye if they saw me pushing a stroller stacked with books instead of a baby.

That's 'cause the people 'round here are cool. And they make me feel like part of the community. I have noticed how the people I come across all the time on my walk — cops, store clerks, students at the tech college, City Hall employees, security guards, and the familiar faces of folks who take the same route — have also taken notice of me. I can tell by how their smiles and "hellos" have gone from first being polite to neighborly. You know what I mean. Now the smiles are as if we share a fun secret and the "hellos" are an enthusiastic "Hi!"

And because of them, I never feel like I am walking alone.